The Mandalorian

[selenak]

Thanks to my temporary submission to the Mouse, I watched The Mandalorian. Now this is what the sequel trilogy isn't - set in the post-OT era, not trying to repeat the exact storybeats from the OT. Which isn't to say it doesn't use established storylines. I mean, for starters, it's very obviously a Western. (With the main theme a homage to the recently late, great Ennio Morricone.) Think True Grit or Shane, and you get an idea what kind of Western it is. And all the characters are recognizable types. But Star Wars at its best has always managed to fill those types with life, to flesh them out into individuals, and this happens here.

Wisely, Favreau and Filoni, who I take it by the credits are the head honchos coming up with this story, stayed the hell away from the ridiculous hyperbole that marred the sequel trilogy for me. (Aka: we can't just destroy planets, we can destroy solar systems! And, like, lots! And we have even more weapons!) Instead, it sticks to its small-scale (ahem, pun unintended) personal story, and by it delivers an enjoyable yarn that uses the world(s) around it in a way that's way more believable as a follow up to where Return of the Jedi left off. Various ex imperial leaders and soldiers spread around backwater planets as war lords with their armor and tech looking by now very used indeed? Yes, would happen if an Empire gets toppled. Meanwhile, we also, shock, horror, actually get to see the new republic in action.

The Mandalorian of the title and the child - whose species you've been spoiled for if you've seen or heard anything about this show - make a great odd couple type of leads, and it's very SW that you never see the face of the former except for one particular scene, and the later is a muppet non humanoid alien. But for a series to work, you also need supporting characters with personalities, and happily, this show delivers. Kudos to the creators for not doing the thing where only the traditional female roles (think motherly woman in a peaceful village threatened by raiders, and no, it's not Hunith in Merlin though that episode is almost identical, hailing from similar inspiration) are cast with women. Instead, several of the mercanaries we meet during the course of the season are female as well, including the most memorable one, and so is the engineer smith of the Mandalorian armor, and no one is a love interest.

In another "best of Star Wars" tradition, there's a great droid character, used in just the right amount (only three episodes of eight). And there's side changing (several), for different motivations. And celebrity cameos. Werner Herzog proves that even a galaxy far, far away contains citizens of Munich (see, a Bavarian evil overlord was just what was missing), and then there was the moment where I recognized the other guy and ZOMG, it was Gus Fring. (Hi, Giancarlo Espesito!)

Now don't get me wrong: this isn't a show that redefines sci fi tv, or even just Star Wars. But it has just the right amount of heart and cheesiness and quirks to make it immensely likeable to me.

Comments

[redfiona99]

The Bavarian overload is apparently responsible for them using practical effects for the Child. They were going to use CGI but he threw a giant artistic strop and then they realised he was right.

[selenak]

All hail the Bavarian overlord!

[moon_custafer]

I enjoyed reading tales from the set a few months back about how the Bavarian Overlord was absolutely charmed upon seeing the puppet.

[jesuswasbatman]

I wonder if he's secretly a Farscape fan and took lessons from that about puppets being much more meaningful to interact with than CGI?

[selenak]

Entirely possible. I mean, he clearly doesn't have snobbish hangups about sci fi.

[watervole]

Agreed, I'm only four episodes in, but I'm really enjoying it.

I find it impressive that they can do really good story telling with a lead who uses the absolute minimum number of words, and a second lead who only communicates by wiggling his ears.

Yes, the supporting characters are really strong, and well acted, as well as well written.

While I see it as a Western as well, I think Shane is the wrong comparison. Shane has chosen to give up his gun and only takes it up again with extreme reluctance and in the knowledge that it will destroy his life.

BTW, remember this story? https://archiveofourown.org/works/4734134

[selenak]

Do I ever, it was one of my favourites of B7. (Still is!)

What I was referring to with the Shane comparison - and with the True Grit comparison - is the "veteran gunman + child" combination, though agreed that Shane, the character, is very different. (Though I'll say more when you've watched the entire season, I don't want to spoil you.)

[mtbc]

Interesting point about the minimal words, quite the opposite of Dark! Also worth noting that The Mandalorian's rather nicely made.

[princessofgeeks]

we watched the same show!

[selenak]

Well, if one has a month of Disney + and is at all interested in SW...

[sovay]

Various ex imperial leaders and soldiers spread around backwater planets as war lords with their armor and tech looking by now very used indeed? Yes, would happen if an Empire gets toppled.

That's the worldbuilding I've been hearing about that makes this series sound most interesting to me. I am also always attracted by people interacting not as love interests.

[musesfool]

Werner Herzog is so great in this! And Apollo Creed! I mean Carl Weathers. *g* As iconic as Star Wars to people my age.

Plus, the dark saber!

[selenak]

I must confess I never watched a single Rocky movie, so I had to google "Apollo Creed" right now. ;)

The dark saber was such a neat final image. I mean, as a Clone Wars viewer, I knew there must be a lightsaber involved as soon as I saw that glowing circle at the door, and I figured they didn't hire Giancarlo Esposito for such a short appearance, but still, way to go with this version, Team Mandalorian!

[lilacsigil]

I really enjoyed this show, and I haven't even watched the two latest sequels (or Rogue One, but that's because I know it will be too sad for me). I always love "far-flung corners of the establish world" as a storytelling setting, and this was great. And I liked the wide variety of women - only one of whom ever looked after the child at any stage - and that even the motherly farmer was the one person from her village who knew how to use a rifle.

[selenak]

Yes, and you didn't get the impression the Mandalorian wanted to leave the child with her because of her gender, but because he'd seen her good parenting (and of course the other village children for Baby Yoda to play with); he'd have reacted just the same if she'd been a man.

[roaratorio]

YES. Agreed on every level -- it's super fun.

[cybel]

While you have Disney+ you should definitely watch the Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. It is a series of episodes about the making of the show that is fascinating and enlightening and very much fun.

[tree_and_leaf]

It was such fun - I can't wait for S2.

[maidenjedi]

Yes, this, all of this. The Mandalorian is my Star Wars now.

[likeadeuce]

i loved this show but i about lost it when Esposito show up, this is just the kind of role I'm eager to see more of him in. (especially as I wasn't really feeling Gus's reappearance on BCS prior to the most recent season.)

[selenak]

Ha, I was not feeling Gus on BCS anywhere in any season, but admittedly that might be because I'm not into the Mike storylines 90% of the time anyway. Mind you, I think the reason why Gus on BCS can't help but feel different is because in Breaking Bad, his calm competence is contrasted with Walt's emotional chaos, he's presented as up against the cartel and taking a larger drug dealing Goliath out, and not much narrative time is spent on when he's actually a threat to the life of the fandom woobie (i.e. late s3 when he orders Jesse dead), whereas there's much narrative time when he allows Mike to foster Jesse. Also, his tragic backstory (tm) with Max was new. Meanwhile, on BCS, not only is Gus invulnerable by prequel plot (i.e. we know he won't either die or lose his power), but he's a threat and exploiter to the closest thing the show has to Jesse Pinkman equivalent (Nando), and it's far easier to see there's no moral difference between him and the other drug king pins.